NEWS


UK Flooring Direct invests in new Coventry showroom


HMG get their running shoes on for the Great Manchester Run


For the first time since 2019 HMG Paints employees headed into the heart of Manchester on Sunday 22 May to take part in the annual Great Manchester 10K run. HMG colleagues were raising money for the British Heart Foundation at this year’s event in memory of Alan Doyle, a long-term friend of HMG who sadly passed away during the 2019 Great Manchester Run due to an undiscovered heart disease. Alan’s family have set to


raise a target of £1,000 for The British Heart Foundation via their fundraising page: https://


justgiving.com/fundraising/ allforalan. “We were really looking


forward to being able to run again this year as the event had been cancelled several times due to COVID,” said Gracienne Ikin, Brand Development and Communications Manager. “This year’s race means so much to us all and we’ve got a great group together running in memory of Alan, alongside his family and friends,” continued Gracienne. The Great Manchester Run is just one of many charitable events HMG will be participating in this year in the hopes to raise


A major UK online retailer has invested £100,000 in a new showroom in Coventry as part of its continued expansion. UK Flooring Direct, which was founded by Nuneaton-based entrepreneur Jason Ashby and has been growing rapidly in recent years, has unveiled the new retail outlet at its Coventry base at Prologis Park. The company will also continue to operate from its office and warehouse in Hinckley but has taken the decision to move the showroom to Coventry for its retail and trade customers who want to buy in person and take advantage of the latest deals. The new showroom means it can showcase even more products due to the size of the space which, at 251 sq m, is double the size of the previous unit in Hinckley. Approximately 450 UK Flooring Direct products will be available to buy including wood flooring, laminates and carpets as well as a range of installation and maintenance accessories. CEO Jason Ashby said:


“We are continually striving to improve as a business and the new showroom is part of that. We’ve had great success from our Hinckley location but this gave us the opportunity to expand into a bigger space and


offer customers much


more choice. It’s well located too – just off the M6 – so we hope it will give us the chance to expand our customer base. “UK Flooring Direct will always be a ‘digital first’ business and the vast majority of sales will come online, but we are delighted to be able to unveil this new showroom to customers who want to come in and buy in-person.” The


showroom will be


managed by Brian Merriman, who moves Hinckley.


across from 6 DIY WEEK MAY 2022


British Coatings Federation launches new Trace VOC Globe to recognise low VOC paint products


From May 2022, decorative paints manufacturers will be able to adopt the use of the statement ‘TRACE’ Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) as part of the British Coatings Federation (BCF)’s VOC Globe scheme to improve communication to consumers highlighting which products have the lowest levels of VOCs. The TRACE globe will be used for products with VOC content of less than 0.1%. Paints contain different levels of solvents, also known as VOCs. Solvent content can vary from negligible amounts to, in a very small number of products, very high levels. Given that VOCs contribute to atmospheric pollution, the industry is committed to reducing the level of solvent in


paints. Decorative paint


manufacturers have significantly reduced the presence of VOCs in their products over the last two decades, with 84% of decorative paints now sold on


the market being water-based, and therefore low or very low VOC.


The VOC Globe scheme is part of a wider initiative by the coatings industry to raise consumer


awareness of the


amount of VOCs contained in decorative paint products, allowing consumers to make more informed, and hopefully greener choices. Greater involvement from paint manufacturers in the scheme will also greatly help paint recyclers separate solvent-based and water-based leftover paint with ease, which aids reuse and recycling. To find out more, please visit:


www.coatings.org.uk/reducing- solvents-in-paint or alternatively email info@bcf.co.uk for more information.


Coral Tools Joins BHETA


Painting decorating tools supplier, Coral Tools has joined BHETA. With an excellent trade reputation, Coral’s retail mission


is


to be seen as a progressive tools brand, providing products that make projects easier, faster, and more affordable. Coral


is a


decorators’ preparation tools. Keeley Vernon, BHETA’s sector manager for DIY and garden said: “This is great news. Coral is an ambitious company with a fantastic range, and I am delighted to welcome the team to BHETA.”


For more information about BHETA and the retailer networking,


privately-owned


British company which exports worldwide. Based in Leeds, its range includes paint brushes, paint rollers, wallpaper tools, and


market data, lobbying and business support opportunities it offers, contact Keeley Vernon on 07398 840418 or view the website at www.bheta.co.uk.


www.diyweek.net


money for the worthy charities that have been selected by staff. The chosen charity organisations


include Francis House Children’s Hospice and Ronald McDonald House Charities.


Travis Perkins Hire wins award for


diversity and inclusion policy Travis Perkins Hire, which is part of Travis Perkins plc and is the UK’s largest distributor of materials to the construction sector, won an award recognising its diversity and inclusion initiatives at the Hire Awards of Excellence. The judging panel recognised Travis Perkins Hire for demonstrating a commitment to raise awareness of diversity and inclusion within its own business and beyond, in the building sector industry. It recognised the culture, colleague networks and initiatives that have been put in place, with the use of compelling marketing campaigns to shine a spotlight on big topics that have helped to educate, drive awareness and inspire change inside and outside the business. Daniel Lowans, Managing Director of Travis Perkins Hire said: “At


Travis Perkins Hire we are continually fostering a working environment where everyone feels like they belong, and this is central to our family values. We want everyone to feel safe, welcome and confident to be their best selves. Our vision and ambition is to be an industry- leading inclusive and diverse employer so to win this award is a great recognition of that. “We want to shift the thinking in our sector. The diversity of our


workforce is key to achieving this, so that we attract new capabilities and perspectives, sustain growth, evolve and innovate for the future. We are making it our job to take a leadership role.” As an integral part of the wider construction industry Travis Perkins


Hire shares the nationwide challenge that construction has long been seen as a non-diverse sector with an ageing population. Women make up only 14% of the national workforce, those from an ethnic minority background are less than 6%, and the average age in the sector is over 45. The award was collected by Daniel Lowans, Managing Director of Travis Perkins Hire at the ceremony at Grosvenor House in London.


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